Feinberg, Fresenius dialysis plans face hurdles

Competing proposals by Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and Fresenius Medical Care A.G. to open dialysis clinics in Streeterville would add to an oversupply, according to reports by the staff of a state health board that must approve the plans.

The reports were issued for a March 26-27 meeting of the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board, which at the same time is expected to consider a proposal by Waukegan-based Vista Health System to build a $131 million hospital in Lindenhurst. The staff questions the need for the 132-bed project, affirming an earlier finding. The board regulates medical construction projects to avoid duplication of services.

Fresenius has proposed a 12-station, $4.5 million clinic at 142 E. Ontario St., three blocks from where the Northwestern physicians' group has proposed a $9 million, 36-station clinic.

Yet there are at least 36 clinics within a 30-minute drive of the area, and they all operate at less than 80 percent of capacity, a key benchmark to measure demand, the report noted.

One of clinics is the 44-station location in Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Olson Pavilion, at 710 N. Fairbanks Court, owned by Fresenius, which Dr. Neilson has criticized for the quality of the care.

The clinic runs at 74 percent capacity, according to a March 6 letter to the board from the regional vice president of the Waltham, Mass.-based U.S. subsidiary of Fresenius.

A spokeswoman for Northwestern declined to comment.

A spokeswoman for Fresenius said in a statement that a West Loop physicians group has agreed to refer patients to the new clinic, clearly demonstrating a need for the project. “We expect it to be 80 percent utilized within two years of opening,” the spokeswoman said.

In the northern suburbs, Vista's proposal for a new hospital in Lindenhurst, about 12 miles west of Waukegan, would duplicate cardiac catheterization services and increase the number of beds beyond what is needed in the area, where medical and obstetric facilities are already operating below capacity.